The Dillon tribune., 1887-07-22
WONDERLAND
...,,,e description Of Ne" Wonders
I''<'~, T., the National Park.

In tU0 N~S.
..cen, visit to the Norris Gcyscr
On N ~, accompanied by Mr.. Bon"''
e,''' y. and family, OF o'."mwa'
hs'' ,.hom the National Park had be-
'F'' s..r, d.y more and more interesting.
s"' .,;r,.x .u was reached, and to Miss
''ap..h u, , Donnide'd, deepened into ter. ter.
'.',, y =, witnessing the now famous new
Of ~. ~. N. Hurricane, Of which some &C.
I.aat , va. given in the Pioneer Press OF o.
f'u''' y. ,s,h, The heavens and he'ls Of the
W., ,'',;, 1, ,,sn arc so near each other that IT
WI mh. a matter OF prudence TO take the
.s., ~. 10 the beautiful emerald pool, whose
'.,, ~, water. look like blue sky Of infinite
.sh ou, Of which the stars arise I" end
!. recession, before presenting such an
~ .,h;bit;on ofdemon. like and irreprss.
n. M fo,.e Is that seen at the Hurricane or
n. volcano, a mud geyser,. but few
T.. from Emerald pool, which Dr.. W.
-. of Cincinnati, named the Demons
r..h Tub, during his visit in 1886. Very
.,,lt,e people are often 50 shocked when
,,.,a,ed with these liquid volcanoes, as
~ unable to enjoy those that are in no
:, ,,oulsiye. The first Impressions are
. ,i,i3an lasting as to give color and
A,,,e,er 10 all that follows.
On Iune ts,, 1886, l noticed this fact
hon visiting the Norris basin. On that
k.c,sion Gen. Calvin y. Pratt, Of Brook.
yu, N.Y., was with me. We had sufii.
lent time to do the basin leisurely and !
|.leced the most beautiful objects, first
,,,,ing to the Blue volcano, the Blood and
er geysers, also the Hurricane, then AN
|s.igni6cant object compared to what it
has since become. Mrs. Pratt was in.
o,med that there was a most remarkable
bu. extremely dangerous portion Of Nor.
|, basin known as the Porcelain basin, the
shole Of which was covered with a thin,
vhi,e silicon crust from which the name
derived, while underfoot was scething
n,s Of a vitrous, sulphurous substance Of
ru. depth, into which it would be instant
heath were any living thing to fall. Tha.
the center Of basin were the Dancing
Dures, they being so peculiar as to be
|'ahout parallel among the wonders Of
National Park, and that but two ladies
I'd had the coura ,e, so far as knew, to
and withing the magic circle Of the
Dancing Dunes. Having been fully in
lh'aed as to the danger, she still expressed
desire to follow me over this icy looking
AXE Of birthstone. Armed each, Will, a
Fuong alpenstock six feet long, we eau.
|ious'y wound our way over the porcelain
loor, amid cerulian pools, past the Mill
Stones of the Gods, near which roaring
P'eam jet seemed to he the motive power
|ha, kept the hellish machinery in con.
liant activity. We passed within yard
|p' 80 Of MANY an active liquid jet OF clear,
boiling water that pulsatcd and periodi.
|a''y sent torrid waters out Of their circu.
az cra,ers from three to six feet high.
Finally we stood on what seemed a more
|f''d footing on fine sandy rim, rising a
Few inches above the cilicated surface and
extending into irregular circles. Around
|'0ls rim there were little hillocks OF sand
not more than from three. four,hs to an
EAen wide with an outer rim OF sand and
cry much resembling ringworm on the
'anan body. The central hillock and the
cae7 rim are seen to be in continual All.
'"oA, But the most remarkable feature
y "s constant mutual destruction that j.
s'"'S on among these sand dunes. Watch.
ns carefully. yoa notice ne "
u"Ac forming in the outer circle OF an ac.
ave dune. and in few seconds en.i-riv
"1s''o> It's predecessor. The sand in the
s'''fa' h''iock becomes dry on exposure
y "'e sun rays and each grain is in con.
''0' notion. There is 4 Kissing noise
instantly heard and in rvthmical cadence
: 4 lie dunes were dancing to their own
"'","' The destruction and recoustruc.
wa o' these sand dunes are 50 gradual
,s' II '> only by close observation and bv
."''s the attention on one dune that vou
>S'<e the fact Of their con slant and order.
y, ,"ssess'on. Mrs. Pratt greatly admired
s p'eoominal and typical reproduction
w '"a' occurs in the vegetable and ami
-. worlds that OF the new succeeding
w., ''' and thus keeping the world fresh
.oans in an endless drama both comic
,.., sas'c' amired her courage and ap.
,'3''on OF these wonders, while the gen.
=, ,'o'' at safe distance. being alto
\. ,s' 100 portly to be permitted to tread
+. -. .>'efouS porcelain, however much